Turnkey v. Blank Slate

Nobody argues how special and unique a wedding is in the life of a couple.  With that much on the line, why not do everything in your power to take “special” to the next level?  That is difficult to do with a turnkey venue that just does everything for you, the way they do it for all the couples, with a few tweaks.  You want to select a venue that reflects your personality, vibe, and tastes.  That could be a gallery, a farm, a country club, or even a campground!  There are venue selection tools out there that allow you to research the venues in the area, such as Eventective.  You can browse the venues in the area you are interested in a or request free quotes from venues and vendors that are available for your date.  Once you pick the perfect venue for your special day, put a day together that will never be forgotten! 

Indoor v. Outdoor

“Outdoor all the way! Ok so let me say that this is from the perspective of a venue that has hosted 20 years of tented, outdoor weddings and is newly hosting indoor weddings this year. So, needless to say, we love indoor weddings as well! But we built our new indoor space with the vision, knowledge and love of our outdoor space. We have seen the absolute fun that happens in an outdoor environment, the beautiful light that surrounds guests, the sound of crickets at the end of the night, and the ability for guests to feel the freedom associated with an outdoor event. We took all of that and designed our indoor space to feel as open and full of outdoor moments as possible.” – Jessica Rodriguez Hanselman, Head of Client Coordination, Crossed Keys Estate 

“Outdoor weddings get a bad rap. And we get it. It’s scary to entrust the most special day of your life to the elements. But I have seen so much magic happen in spite of those elements. A formal event can have all the warmth and comfort of a casual event when it is hosted outdoors. The backdrops of lush gardens and long, full meadows are perfect photo ops for a stunning white dress. And while most wedding venues have an outdoor space for ceremonies, there is no beating the natural beauty of being surrounded by sunshine, stars, a cool breeze on your shoulders and trees blowing in the wind. An outdoor wedding is rare, unique, and so memorable. And needless to say, if you can get the best of both indoor and outdoor worlds, your wedding will be off the charts!” – Jessica Rodriguez Hanselman, Head of Client Coordination, Crossed Keys Estate 

City v. Remote

“Different than large city venues, the economy surrounding a remote venue benefits the local businesses and they recognize it. Look to local vendors and shop-owners to provide a personal touch when hosting your big day.” Joel Lippman, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hutton Brickyards

Destination v. Traditional at Home

“When deciding to have your wedding near or afar it is important to consider all the benefits of having a wedding close to home. Aside from a traditional at-home wedding allowing for a large majority of family and friends to attend and celebrate the beginning of this new chapter, having a hometown wedding gives couples the opportunity to meet with their vendors multiple times through the planning process in order to guarantee their vision is executed perfectly.” – Will Vanderwende, Vanderwende Acres 

Full-Service v. Venue Only

“At our exclusive venues, we run into brides and groom wanting to know the pros and cons of going all-inclusive, and most questions reflect whether they can or cannot customize their wedding. For starters, we love to send couples a ‘welcome packet’ that answers all their initial questions, from booking information to payment schedules, to tastings, vendors, and all the way to rehearsal and day of! The packet is designed to help navigate them through all the details leading up to their special day.” – Sarah Kuhlberg, Creative Director, Colette’s Catering.

Photos courtesy of (in order of appearance):  Angelica Marie Photography (1st); Pat Furey Photo (2nd); Nicole Photography (3rd) & Vanderwende Acres (4th)